Sheriff says the 16-year-old ran through the store holding a gun during a theft case.
POINCIANA, Fla. — State investigators opened an inquiry after an off-duty Osceola County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a 16-year-old inside a Walmart during a shoplifting confrontation Thursday night, authorities said. The sheriff said the teen ran through the store holding a gun when the deputy fired.
The case has drawn attention because it began as a suspected theft and escalated in minutes inside a busy retail store where shoppers were nearby. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is leading the investigation into the deputy’s use of force, while the sheriff’s office has offered limited details about the teen, the gun and the two other people who were with him.
The shooting took place around 8 p.m. Thursday at the Walmart at 904 Cypress Parkway, in the Poinciana area of Osceola County. Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said the deputy was working off-duty at the store for security when a loss-prevention employee reported seeing three people conceal merchandise in their clothing.
Blackmon said the loss-prevention employee and the deputy moved toward the front of the store to intercept the trio. As the deputy approached, Blackmon said, the three ran. He said the teen ran toward customers with a gun in his hand, turning a suspected shoplifting case into a situation the deputy believed was an immediate threat.
“And with that said, our deputy fired downrange at the suspect and took him out,” Blackmon said during a briefing later that night. The sheriff said the teen died inside the store. He added that the deputy was not injured and “is doing fine,” and officials said no customers or employees were hurt.
By Friday, authorities identified the person killed as a 16-year-old who lived in Poinciana. Another report said the teen had recently turned 16 on Dec. 30, 2025. Officials did not release the teen’s name in brief public updates and did not describe whether he had any prior contact with law enforcement.
The sheriff’s office initially said it was still looking for two other suspected shoplifters who ran from the store. In a Friday update, the agency said the two other people who were with the teen had been “identified and accounted for,” describing them as a juvenile and an adult in his 20s. Officials said it was unclear whether either person would face charges, leaving open questions about how the suspected theft was organized and who had the alleged stolen items.
Osceola County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Kim Montes told a local outlet that an off-duty firefighter and another off-duty law enforcement officer were in the store and helped provide cover to the deputy after the shooting. Montes also said people hid inside the store as the incident unfolded, reflecting the confusion that can spread when shoppers hear gunfire or see people running.
Authorities have not provided key details about the teen’s weapon, including the type of gun, whether it was loaded, and whether it was pointed at anyone. Investigators also have not said how many shots were fired or the distance between the deputy and the teen, information typically examined to determine whether the deputy’s actions were consistent with law and agency policy.
The FDLE investigation is expected to include interviews with witnesses and store employees, a review of any surveillance video, and a reconstruction of the shooting based on physical evidence. Officials have not said whether the deputy was wearing a body camera while working off-duty or whether any footage will be released. The sheriff’s office has said it will not provide additional information while the state review continues.
The incident also raised operational questions for investigators: how the deputy and loss-prevention staff coordinated, what was said when they approached the suspects, and how quickly the situation moved from the store entrance into aisles where customers were present. Blackmon emphasized that the teen ran toward customers while armed, a point the sheriff’s office has used to frame the danger faced by shoppers in the store.
By the next morning, the Walmart reopened, opening about an hour later than normal, with customers returning to a store that had been the scene of a fatal shooting hours earlier. Police vehicles that had blocked entrances the night before were gone, and the sheriff’s office did not announce any broader closure of the shopping center area.
In public comments, officials focused on the deputy’s wellbeing and the fact that no bystanders were physically harmed. But they did not address whether anyone narrowly avoided injury or how close customers were to the suspect at the moment the deputy fired. Those details often come out later, after investigators interview witnesses and review video.
Deputy-involved shootings in Florida are frequently reviewed by an outside agency to provide an independent look at the evidence. Once the state investigation is completed, findings are generally forwarded for further review by prosecutors or internal decision-makers, depending on local procedures. Officials did not give a timeline for the FDLE review or say when a fuller public briefing might occur.
As of Friday afternoon, the sheriff’s office said the two other people linked to the incident had been located and accounted for, and the central investigation remained focused on the teen’s actions and the deputy’s gunfire. Authorities said additional updates would be released as investigators complete interviews and analyze evidence.
Author note: Last updated February 20, 2026.